


proud of you

by carefulren



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fever Dreams, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Iron dad and Spider son, Nightmares, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Sickfic, Skype, Tumblr Prompt, Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-14
Updated: 2018-05-14
Packaged: 2019-05-07 04:16:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14663112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carefulren/pseuds/carefulren
Summary: the events of the infinity war are simply an upsetting, fever-induced nightmare for Tony, one that requires a late night skype call





	proud of you

Tony’s mind is a broken car on a speedway, pulled off to the side while every other car zips around him at full speed. He wants to catch up to them, but he’s hurt, weak, and for once, he’s unable to stop what’s happening, whatever that may be– their demise at a simple snap of two fingers, he presumes. 

He’s watched Strange, Quill, and the other guardians disintegrate right before his eyes, turning to ash and fluttering away before his mind can properly react, and now he and Peter are alone– 

“Mr. Stark, I don’t feel so good.” 

Every crevice of Tony’s body ices over, leaving him numb, mind going dark and blank. He turns slowly, and Peter is pale, his eyes wide, frightened, a color of pain clouding over them. 

Tony catches him when he falls to his knees, and he wraps his arms around the boy, as if he can physically keep Peter whole, keep his body there, but Peter’s shaking, panicking, and his body is too warm against Tony’s chest. 

“Mr. Stark, please. Please. I don’t want to go. I don’t want to go.” 

Peter’s words are desperate, and his fingers are digging into Tony’s skin. Tony focuses on the weight of them, the warm pressure, until there’s nothing left, until he’s hugging himself. 

Tears spill from his eyes as his fingers curl into fists. He slams them down onto the rough terrain, and a scream rips up his throat.

*****

Tony shoots up, a scream physically jerking his body awake. He’s shaking from head to toe, his bed rattling beneath him, and his chest is heaving as he blinks back lingering remnants from the nightmare that felt so real. He can still see the ashes blowing away, still feel the heat of disintegrating bodies. 

_“Sir? Should I call for Dr. Banner? Your temperature is elevated to 104.6 degrees Fahrenheit.”_

Tony shakes his head, knowing that FRIDAY can see his response. He swings his legs over the bed and stumbles toward his desk across the room on buckling legs. The floor underneath him is swaying as if he’s skimming the waves of an ocean, and FRIDAY pleas with him to get back to bed, but he can’t. 

_“Sir, you really shouldn’t–”_

“What time is it?” Tony interrupts, voice a gravelly rasp that hurts. He flops down into his desk chair, one trembling hand shaking the mouse to wake his computer. 

_“It’s 3:07 AM, Sir.”_

Late, Tony thinks, but he has to try. He just has to. 

He pulls up Skype and clicks on Peter’s name, prompting a video call with a shaking cursor. 

The ringing goes on for two minutes before there’s an answer, and after a few stuttered glitches, Peter’s face comes into view, hair sticking up in every direction, eyes bleary, half-lidded, a yawn slipping past his lips. Yet, he’s alive, he’s whole, and Tony sighs quietly, eyes burning with a warning of tears. 

“Mr. Stark?” 

“Hey–” is all Tony manages out before sharp coughs grate up his throat, forcing him to turn away and hack into the crook of his arm for an endless minute. When he turns back to the computer, Peter’s alert, concerned. 

“Mr. Stark, are you alright? Should I come over there? Have you talked with Bruce?” He looks past Tony to the empty room. “FRIDAY, what’s wrong with him?” 

_“He’s–”_

“–fine,” Tony finishes around a few weaker coughs that sneak past his lips. “I’m fine.” 

“You don’t sound fine.” 

For a moment, Tony only stares at Peter, mind wandering back to the dream, or rather, to the nightmare that took so much away from him. He shifts his gaze down with a heavy breath. 

“How are your patrols going?” 

“What? They’re going fine. Mr. Stark, what’s going on?” 

Tony brings his gaze up, eyes burning once more. “Tell me about them.” 

“About my patrols?” 

“Yes.” 

“At 3:15 in the morning?” 

A sigh slips past Tony’s lips, catching against a few grating coughs. “Yes, kid. Just tell me about them. I want to hear how the friendly, neighborhood Spider-Man is doing.” 

Peter tilts his head, and Tony knows that narrow gaze is one of silent study, but after a few moments, Peter leans forward, face going bright as a smile plays at his lips. 

“Well, I’m sure you heard on the news about the unnamed hero who stopped an armed robbery in the mall on 5th avenue.” He pauses, smile going wide. “That was me!” 

Tony smiles himself, and he nods for Peter to continue, and Peter does. 

For almost an hour, Peter describes his patrols in great detail, everything from what he ate at lunch before a patrol, to how many shots were fired at him during another. 

Tony’s chest swells with heated pride, and when Peter takes a moment to sip his water, Tony clears his throat, pulling the boy’s attention toward him. 

“Kid?” 

“Yeah, Mr. Stark?” 

“I’m proud of you.” 

Peter’s eyes grow impossibly wide, and he leans closer to the monitor. “Really? Does that mean I can become an avenger?” 

Flashes of Tony’s dream strike across his mind like a weak jolt of lightening. He shakes his head and leans back in his chair. “Don’t rush things. Just keep telling me about this car chase for now.” 

Peter’s quiet for a moment, silent consideration colors his face, but he falls against his own desk chair and starts going on about the car chase. 

Tony listens quietly, relief pulling a heavy weight from his shoulders as he watches Peter’s arms wave about wildly in the small computer screen. 

**Author's Note:**

> I got this prompt on Tumblr, and I absolutely fell in love with it!


End file.
